Pneumatic transmitter or store-service



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. 0. YALE & J. H. AMES. PNEUMATIC TRANSMITTER OR STORE SERVIOE.

No. 520,664. Patented May 29, 1894.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented May 29, 1894.

2 WT T (No Model.)

0. 0. YALE & J-. H. AMES. PNEUMATIC TRANSMITTER 0R STORE SERVICE.

we rwnorm. umcmiAPMms coMPANY.

(-No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. 0. YALE & J. H. AMBS. PNEUMATIC TRANSMITTER 0R STORE SERVICE.

No. 520,664. Patented May 29, 1894.

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-W- Lit Mat .fi 2% wz gg UNITED STATES PATENT Gaston.

CHARLES O. YALE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND JOHN H. AMES, OF ST. PAUL,

-MINNESOTA.

PNEUMATIC TRANSMITTER OR STORE -SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,664, dated May 29,1894. Application filed March 28, 1892. Serial No. 426,652. (No model.)

T on whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES O. YALE, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, and J OHN H. AMES, of the city of St. Paul, in

the State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pneumatic Transmitters or Store-Service; and we dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which to willenable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and numerals ofreference marked thereon, which form part of this 1 5 specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in pneumatic store services.

One of the particular objects of these improvements is to provide meansof transmitting packages to several stations through the same conveyoror conductor, and providing the packages or carriers and conveyor orconductor with means for selecting the proper package or carrier for theseveral stations and producing its delivery at the proper station,withoutmateriallyinterruptingthe movement of other carriers in the sameconveyor.

In the several figures of the drawings, similar letters and numerals ofreference refer to the same parts.

Figure 1 shows a diagram or general plan of a store service, providingmeans for receiving and transmitting packages to and from a main stationthrough two separate 5 conveyors, a forwarding and returning conveyer,although, with slight modifications the forwardingand receiving could beaccomplished through one circuit. Fig. 2 shows, in side elevation, acarrier dispatcher in connection with portions of the conductor. Fig. 3shows an end view of the carrier dispatcher, with a cross-section of theconductor taken on line O-D of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows an end viewof thedispatcher at line EF of Fig. 2, in open position. Fig. 5 shows asection of the dispatcher on line G-I-l of Fig. 2, in open "position.Fig. 6 shows, in section, parts of the conductor and the packagedischarger in normal or closed position. Fig. 7 shows the same parts indischarging position. Fig. 8 shows a modified form of package receiver.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-section of the conductor at the tripping lever, andincluding a portion of the tripping lever connections. Fig. 10 is a topor plan view of the dischargen'being ings, in a more particulardescription of the device, 1 indicates the main discharging andreceiving station from which extends theforwarding conductor 2, and towhich extends the receiving conductor 3. From the conductors 2 and 3extend communicating tubes 4 and 5 to a reservoir or pressure tank 6.The systems may be used, with slight alterations, either by an airpressure in the tubes or exhausting the tubes, as seems more expedient.The system as shown and described is intended for using an air pressurein the tubes. Hence, 7 indicates a pump or blower for producing an airpressure in the tank 6 and in the tube 3. In the forwarding tube at themain station is provided, as shown at a, a dispatching device. In thesame tube at the various stations, are provided discharging devices I)b, &c. In the conductor3 there is provided, at the main station 1, adischarger 8 5 b, and at the several stations in the same tube areprovided dispatchers a, a, &c. The conductors or conveyors arepreferably circular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 9,-with aninternal groove or depression as wextend- 9c ing lengthwise of the tube.The dispatching apparatus consists of a hinged cover 8 mounted uponprojecting arms 8 which are pivoted on a shaft 9 held in downwardlyextending projections 10 on the under side of a half of 9 5 theconductor. The cover 8 is, in cross-section, a half of the conductor cuton a vertical line through the longitudinal depressions in the bottom ofthe conductor. The cover 8 may be held in closed position by a spring11, provided on the shaft 9 or in any other suitable position. The covermay also be provided with a handle as 12 for opening the dispatcher. Onone end of the cover 8 and on the end of the tube toward the pressuretank 6, is provided a gate 13 which plays across the end of the pipe 2and closes the same when the cover 8 is opened. The carrier discharger14 consists of a movable section of the conductor, pivoted at one end at15 to the stationary portion of the conductor and having its swingingend cut or formed on a circle with the pivot 15 as a center. The pivotalend of the discharger 14 is coupled onto the stationary portion of theconductor by a flexible material 16, which opens and closes in abellows-like manner. The discharger 14 is operated by a piston rod 17,which is provided with a circular loop at its lower end which surroundsthe discharger 14 and engages the same within a slotted opening 18 onthe lower or under side of the discharger. The upper end of the pistonrod 17 passes through a chamber 19 in which is located a flexiblediaphragm 20 which engages the piston rod 17. Connecting with thechamber 19 is a pressure pipe 21, which at its entrance to the pressurechamber is provided with a slotted side forming a passageway, as shown'at 22. In a suitable seat at the inner end of the pressure pipe 21 isprovided a rocking valve 23 mounted upon a shaft 24 which extends to theoutside of the chamber and on which is secured a bell crank 25. At oneside of the inner end of the pressure pipe 21 is an opening connected bytube 27 to that portion of the chamber 19 above the flexible diaphragm20. The pressure pipe 21 extends along the side of the conductor pipe 2to a point where it is not likely to be disturbed by the operation ofthe discharging apparatus, and is connected with the pipe 2. At theswinging end of the discharger 14 is provided, as shown in Figs. 6 and7, a receiver or pocket 28, adapted to receive the carrier from thedischarger. The mouth of the pocket 28 is made a deep oval in shape sothat the carrier can be removed therefrom below the discharger, when thedischarger is in position to complete the conductor tube 2. On the underside of the discharger 14 is provided a lip 14 adapted to close the endof the pocket 28 when the discharger is in its lower position. From oneof the ends of bell crank lever extends a connecting rod 29, which isconnected to a lever 30 on the outer end of a shaft 31 (see Fig. 9)which shaft 31 extends into a pocket on the underside of the conductor 2and has attached thereto a tripping lever or fixture 32, which curvesupward and lies in the groove or channel w of the conductor tube. Theopposite or swinging end of the tripper lever 32 engages one end ofmovable pivoted stopper 33 lying in the same pocket and adapted to haveits swinging end projected up into the conductor to stop the carrierstherein. From the other arm of bell crank .25 extends a connection 34,which is con- .nected by means of intermediate bell cranks andconnecting rods 35, 36 and 37 with a bumper 38 extending into the pocket28. The end of the pocket 28 is provided with air passages 39.

The carrier 0 consists of a hollow cylinder having enlarged heads orends, one of which, 40, isremovable to provide access to the interior ofthe carrier for the purpose of introducing or removing the matter to becarried. The other end of the carrier is provided with a chamber 41, forcontaining the automatic sorting mechanism, which chamber is providedwith a cover 42. The sorting or carrier-selecting mechanism consists ofa ratchet, tooth-disk 43 pivoted at 44 on the end of the carrier andprovided with a coiled spring 45 having one end attached to the carrierand the other to the disk and tensioned to rotate the disk in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 12. Engaging on the outer endof the pivotal pin 44 by means of a slotted opening therein is a movableactuator 46 which, at its opposite end is held by a retainer 47. Theactuator 46 projects from the side of the carrier and is adapted toenter the groove in the conductor and successively engage the fixturesor trippers in the groove. On the actuator 46 is provided a pawl or dog48 which is held by a spring 49 in engagement with the ratchet teeth ofthe disk 43. 50 is a detent also engaging in the ratchet tooth-disk 43and pivoted at 51 to the end of the carrier and held in engagement withthe teeth of the disk by a spring 52. The detent is also provided with aprojecting pin 53 which .is adapted to be engaged by projection 54 onthe actuator 46, when in its lowest position and throw the detent out ofengage ment with the ratchet teeth. the actuator 46 adapted to engagethe pawl 48 and hold the pawl out of engagement with the disk 43 whenthe actuator is in its lowest position. 56 is a projecting pin on disk43 adapted to engage with stop block 57 secured on the end of thecarrier and adjustable around the circumference of the disk by removingthe screws or fastenings therefrom and replacing them in any of theseries of holes provided in the end of the carrier around thecircumference of the disk thereby altering the mechanism topro-determine the station at which the corner will be discharged. Theparts of the sorting or selecting mechanism described may be changedalso for the same purpose by giving the actuator 46, one or moremovements before introducing the carrier in the conductor a As theoperation of the device is substantially the same at any one of thestations, the operation of dispatching and receiving will be describedgenerally and will be equally applicable to any of the stations,although a modified form of receiving and discharging devices might beprovided at the main or central station.

The pressure of air being maintained in the reservoir or tank and theconductors by is a stop on the tube marked 3 in the drawings, thepackage will be conveyed directly to the main station. If, however, thecarrier is introduced into the tube marked 2 at the main station as itproceeds on its travels, the actuator on the carrier will come incontact with the several trippers 32 located in the groove of theconductor. When the carrier is not in the conductor the actuator 46 willassume the lowest position of which it is capable and which the slottedopening in its end will permit and in which position the dog 48 anddetent 50 are held out of engagement with the ratchet teeth of the disk43 and the disk will be rotated into the position shown in Fig. 12 withthe pin 56 in contact with the stop block 57. The carrier cannot beintroduced into the conductor by reason of the depth of the groove ofthe conductor until the actuator has been slightly pushed in so that thedog 48 and the detent 50 become engaged with the tooth disk 43. Thisslight movement may be produced by the introduction of the carrier intothe conductor tube. As the carrier proceeds along the conductor tube andreaches the first tripping lever 32, the actuator 46 is thrown upward byriding over the tripper 32 and as it is so thrown upward the disk 43 ishitched ahead one tooth by the pawl 48, where it is caught by the detent50 and as the carrier passes beyond the tripper 32, the actuator 46falls down and the dog or pawl 48 is retracted to engage the next toothand as the carrier reaches the second tripping lever the actuator isagain thrown up, moving the disk 43 another tooth. This operation isrepeated asthe carrier passes each tripping lever until the pin 56 comesin contact with the side of the actuator 46 and the dog 48 is inengagement with the tooth disk 43, in which position the actuatorcannotbe thrown up so that as it reaches the next tripping lever theactuator not being thrown up, depresses the tripper. This operationthrough the lever 30, connection 29, bell crank 25 and rocking valve 23transfers the pressure, by rocking the valve 23, from the under side ofthe diaphragm 20 to the upper side, the pressure being carried throughthe tube 27 to the upper side of the diaphragm. As the pressure isexerted on the upper side of the diaphragm, the piston rod 17 is forceddownward, which movement dropsthe movable section of the tube ordischarger 14 into coinciding position with the receiving pocket 28, andas the carrier conthrough the piston rod 17 and connecting parts,operates to elevate the swinging end of the discharger 14 into itsnormal position, as a portion of the conductor tube. It will be noticedthat as the valve 27 is rocked, an escape is provided beneath the valveeither from the upper or lower portion of the chamber 19, as the casemay be. After the discharger has resumed its normal position the carriermay be removed from the pocket 28 through the open end beneath thedischarger.

WVhen the tripper 32 is depressed to actuate the discharger 14, thestopper 33 is projected into the conductor tube in a manner to engageand detain any following carriers until the section 14 has becomereplaced.

The station at which the carrier will be delivered is determined by theposition of the stop 57, sothat the carrier may be discharged at thefirst station from the main station or at any number of stations fromthe main station up to the number of teeth contained on the disk 43 andthe carrier may be adjusted to stop at any of the stations by adjustingthe stop 57.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 8 in lieu of thepocket or receiver 28 we provide a receiver 28 having an open end anddispense with the bumper 38 and modify the bell crank 36 so as to be as36 projecting into the receiver 28 into position to be engaged by theend of the carrier and operated to produce the results described-withreference to that construction. In this way the device will not becomeclogged by reason of a carrier being in the pocket 28, when anothercarrier for the same station, arrives. One of the tubes 2 or 3 may bedispensed with .and the forwarding and returning done through one andthe same tube, by having the tube make a complete circuit from the mainstation back to the main station and providing both the dispatching anddischarging mechanisms in the same tube. In this case it will bedesirable to provide a tube or conductor with two depressions as at, onein the upper side and one in the lower side, so that in returning thecarriers to the main station, the actuator could be allowed to travel inone of the grooves in which there were no tripping levers located. It isalso obvious that the groove a; could be provided in the top as well asin the bottom of the conductor or in any other position than the bottom,in which case it would be necessary and desirable to provide a springforactuating and projecting outward, the actuator 46. It will beunderstood that the carrier 0 will travel either end first lIO 'equivalents of our construction.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a pneumatic transmitter of a conductor having acontinuous groove, a discharger consisting of a movable section hingedat one end on the side of the,

groove and swinging at the other out of the line of the conductor, atripper for operating the discharger, and a carrier having a projectionextending into the groove for operating the tripper and through it thedischarger, sub-1 stantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a pneumatic trans mitter of a conductor tubehaving a longitudinal groove, a discharger, a discharge-tripper locatedin the groove, and connecting mechan-- ism between the tripper anddischarger, a carrier and a projection on the carrier running in thegroove, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a pneumatic transmitter of a conductor having alongitudinal groove, a dispatcher consisting of a cover forming amovable half of a section of the conductor divided through the groove,and a carrier having a projection extending into the groove,substantially as set forth.

4. In a pneumatic transmitter, in combination a conductor, a discharger,a tripper and a connection between the tripper and discharger, andacarrier having a movable tripper actuator, substantially as set forth.

5. In a pneumatic transmitter, in combination a conductor, a discharger,a tripper and connecting mechanism between the discharger and tripper,and a carrier having a movable tripper actuator and mechanism forlocking the actuator, combined substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a pneumatic transmitter of a carrier having amovable projection and a variable locking mechanism for securing themovable projection, a carrier conductor and fixtures in the conductorengaged by the movable projection from the carrier, and meanspermittingthe removal of the carrier from the conductor, substantially as setforth.

7. The combination of a conductor having a continuous groove, a fixtureor series of fixtures in the conductor, a carrier having a movableprojection extending into the groove,

anism for securing the movable projection, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of a longitudinally grooved conductor having a seriesof inwardly extending fixtures in the groove, and a carrier having amovable projection, and an alterable locking mechanism for securing theprojection on the carrier, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of a carrier conductor, a carrier, a movable tripperactuator on the carrier, a discharger tripper operating to move theactuator or be moved by the actuator, a discharger and a connectionbetween the tripper and discharger, and mechanism for arresting themovement of the actuator after a given number of movements,substantially as set forth.

11. The combination in a pneumatic conductor of a series of dischargerslocated therein, a tripper for each discharger, a connecting mechanismbetween the tripper and discharger, a carrier, a movable tripperactuator mounted on the carrier, and a mechanism for arresting themovement of the actuator after a given number of movements caused byongagement with the trippers in passing, substantially as set forth.

12. In a pneumatic transmitter, a conduc-.

tor having a series of fixtures or projections therein, in combinationwith a carrier having a movable projection adapted to engage thefixtures or projections in the conductor, and a ratchet wheel, a stopfor the ratchet wheel, a pawl on the movable projection engaging thewheel, all on the carrier, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination ina pneumatic conductor of aseries of dischargerslocated therein, a tripper for each discharger, a carrier, a movabletripper actuator, a pawl thereon, a ratchet wheel engaged by the pawl, astop for limiting the movement of the ratchet, a detent for engaging theratchet Wheel, and a spring for returning the ratchet wheel to itsnormal position, substantially as set forth.

14:- In a carrier transmitter, in combination aconductorhavingalongitudinal groove, a discharger consisting of a movable sectionof the conductor pivoted at one end on the side of the groove, a rod foroperating the discharger, a chamber containing a movable diaphragmconnected with the rod, a valve for regulating and directing thepressure to either side of the diaphragm, and a tripper located in thegroove of the conductor and connected with the valve, substantially asset forth.

15. The combination in a pneumatic transmitter of a conductor, adischarger consisting of a movable section of the conductor pivoted atone end and swinging at the other, a tripping device located in theconductor for operating the discharger, a receiver into line with whichthe discharger swings to deliver the carrier, and a projection or bumperin the receiver adapted to be actuated by the car- 1o groove, adispatcher consisting of a cover forming a movable half of a section ofthe conductor through the groove, and a carrier having a movableprojection adapted to extend .into the groove, substantially as setforth.

In witness whereof we have affixed our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

. CHARLES 0. YALE.

JOHN H. AMES.

Witnesses:

JONATHAN MARSHALL, RICH. A. GEORGE.

